I Can't
by iceandfire105
Summary: "Jaina?" His tone became softer when addressing her, but that couldn't change her mind. "I'm sorry, Arthas," she whispered. "I can't watch you do this." A look of hurt and betrayal flickered in his eyes, but all the same, he turned around to his men, getting on his horse. Dialogue referenced from Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos. Set before the purging of Stratholme.


_**I Can't**_

Jaina and Uther stepped out of the constricting confines of the sorceress' hasty teleportation spell, looking around for Arthas. He was standing on a cliff overlooking the city of Stratholme, his mind evidently occupied. Jaina started to run over to him. At the sound of her approach, Arthas turned.

'Glad you could make it, Uther,' he said, looking straight past the sorceress. His words were harsh and short.

Uther narrowed his eyes and strode forward. 'Watch your tone with me, boy. You may be the prince, but I'm still your superior as a paladin.'

Arthas sneered. 'As if I could forget.' After this comment, he started to regain some composure and straightened, looking serious. 'Listen, Uther, there's something about the plague you should know.'

He turned to gesture towards the city, but paled.

'Oh no,' he said, studying something that Jaina couldn't quite see. He was worried now; the premature age lines on his forehead and around his eyes creasing. 'It's too late.'

_Too late for what?_ Jaina wondered, moving forward. She tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear and came to stand next to him.

Arthas turned back to Uther, his arm brushing past Jaina's. 'These people have all been infected. They may look fine now, but it's a matter of time before they turn into the undead.'

Jaina could see it now; crates with Andorhal's stamp on them. The plague had reached Stratholme.

The blood drained from Uther's face. 'What?'

Arthas turned back towards the city. Jaina slipped her hand in his to reassure him. She could see his mind working, trying to make a decision. The worry lines on his face deepened.

'This entire city must be purged,' he murmured. A look of horror and outrage spread across Uther's face.

'How can you even consider that? There's got to be some other way!'

'Damn it, Uther!' Arthas snapped, whirling around. Jaina withdrew her hand and stepped back, shocked. 'As your future king, I order you to purge this city.'

The paladin narrowed his eyes. 'You are not my king yet, boy. Nor would I obey that command if you were!'

'Then I must consider this an act of treason,' Arthas said, his voice low. Jaina drew in a breath. She knew something was happening to him. She knew this was the start of something that would be unstoppable. _Arthas_ would be unstoppable. Not unless something was done now.

'Treason?' Uther bellowed. 'Have you lost your mind, Arthas?' Jaina was afraid he was starting to.

'Have I?' Arthas said, his tone daring Uther to respond. 'Lord Uther, by my right of succession and sovereignty of my crown, I hereby relieve you from your command and suspend your paladins from service.'

'Arthas, you can't just –,' Jaina started.

'It's done!' he snapped. 'Those of you who have the will to save this land, follow me.' A small group of soldiers crossed from the small camp set up to the left to stand behind the prince. 'The rest of you . . . get out of my sight,' he spat.

'You've just crossed a terrible threshold, Arthas,' Uther warned, his voice low.

Arthas looked over at the sorceress. 'Jaina?' His tone became softer when addressing her, but that couldn't change her mind.

'I'm sorry, Arthas,' she whispered. 'I can't watch you do this.'

A look of hurt and betrayal flickered in his eyes, but all the same, he turned around to his men, getting on his horse. 'Move out!'

The solders left the encampment, Arthas in the lead. Jaina knew what was to follow. A mass culling.

'What's becoming of him?' she asked Uther.

The paladin took a while to respond. 'I don't know. But he's not quite human anymore. This isn't the Arthas we knew.'

'No,' Jaina murmured. 'That Arthas is in there somewhere. I just wish he would let me find it.'

Uther looked at her, pity in his eyes. 'I'm sorry, Miss Proudmoore.'

_ImsorryImsorryImsorryImsorry . . ._

She looked over the edge of the cliff, where the group was entering Stratholme's gates. She couldn't watch him. She couldn't stop him . . .

_I'm sorry, Arthas. I can't watch you do this . . ._

'I'm sorry, Arthas,' she whispered. 'For letting you do this.'

* * *

**Please note this uses the dialogue from the cutscene prior to the Warcraft 3: Reign Of Chaos mission "The Culling", except for the last ten lines, which are my own.  
**


End file.
